The present invention relates to electrical connectors and in particular to a versatile simple inexpensive reliable electrical interface which enables electrical contact in two directions perpendicular to each other.
There are many machines in use today wherein a functional module is inserted and withdrawn from the main machine frame. For example, in electrostatographic printing apparatus it is common to have various of the subsystems in the imaging machine be removably mounted in the machine. Accordingly, the individual modules such as, for example, a developer housing or a cleaner housing may be mounted such that it is removably inserted in the machine and can be withdrawn for replenishment, repair, etc. In such applications, typically the developer housing, for example, has to be positioned very close to, if not in contact with the photoreceptor to enable adequate development of the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor. To minimize damage to the delicate photoreceptor, the developer module is inserted on a track or rail type of arrangement which spaces it slightly from the photoreceptor until it reaches its end position where it is moved into developing engagement with the photoreceptor by being moved in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction into the main machine. Upon insertion, electrical contact between the developer housing, for example, and the main machine must be made to provide operational power to the developer housing as well as signal level control.
It has previously been proposed to provide an electrical connector assembly attached to a module, such as a developer housing, at one end which contacts an electrical power source on the main machine through the use of a spring clip contact in a plastic housing. While the one end of the electrical connector may take the form of a spring clip having a large contact area, typically the other end of the electrical connector is connected to a wire on the module or developer housing by means of a screw, weld or other type of physical connector. In addition, typically the wires connected to such a connector come out the sides of the connectors assembly which constrains the positioning of the connector assembly to the module and more importantly, if the connections are made on both sides of the connector housing, one of the connections must be substantially modified to enable the spring clips to face in the same direction to enable the lateral positioning. Typically, this geometry then requires additional parts and manufacturing operations to provide such a connector.